The man dropped into a seat in a corner of the club. His green eyes scanned the crowd of people as he sipped at the cool drink in his hand. As he looked, one particular young lady stood out to him from the rest. A lot of the other partying people seemed to be gravitating around her. Mostly the other girls. He glanced at the picture on his phone before putting it away.So the one who seems to be Miss Popular is also the one I am looking for. Why must things never be simple.John relaxed in his seat, sipping at his drink once more as his green eyes watched the crowded club.

John had moved to the bar as a seat freed. He hadn't hit the dance floor yet, but it seemed his target, Lily, had. Many of the other women and young men had been talking and dancing with her. He had heard the rumor of a party bringing in more people than usual. One detail his friends had failed to mention before his trip here.

She smiled and laughed as people hugged and congratulated her. Her light brown eyes sparkled with excitement. Finally 21, she thought. She grinned and looked around. And all of these people came here for me! Her smile faltered for a moment when she thought of her sister not being able to attend the party tonight. I'll find him, she thought silently, and turned her attention back to the party. Many of her friends were dancing and pulled her onto the dance floor.

"Lily! Get over here and show this club how to party!" One of her friends shouted at her over the loud bass. She made her way onto the dance floor and was instantlyy swallowed up in a croowd of the partygoes. She scanned the crowd and noticed a man at the bar, watching her and her friends. She new instantly it was him. She tried to contain herself and smiled at him, her best and brightest smile. She turned her attention back to dancing. No one can resist that smile, she smiled to herself.

John returned the smile, sipping at his drink once more as he leaned back on the bar. He never approached his targets. Especially in a setting like this. She knew he was there now and she assumed he would go to her. If she really wanted him, she would come to him.

As he watched Lily dance, he couldn't help but be impressed by the way she moved through the crowd. She knew exactly how long to stay with one person. They never got the idea that she wanted more and would move on after she had passed. The time differed of course. Everyone had different perceptions. None were obsessed with her though.Yet.

Lily continued dancing with firends, ignoring the man at the bar for a moment. No one else seemed to notice him watching. Why is staring? He can't possibly know me...does he?. She glances over at the bar once more, nonchalantly then keeps on dancing. Her current dance partner is her best friend in college, Derek. As she moves her hips in time to the music with him, he leans in and speaks in her ear.

"There's a guy at the bar watching you Lily. You should go check it out." He leans back and winks at her as the song ends and transitions to the next. She never told Derek about who the man actually was and why she HAD to speak to him before it was too late. It was like fate. She had no idea how she was going to find him in the first place, and here he is! Lily fakes a grin at Derek and makes her way over to the bar, carefully avoiding eye contact with the man.

She approaches the bar one seat away from him and gestures for the bartender. "What can I get for you sweetheart?" the young women asked her. She glances at the man and back at the bartender. "I'll have what he's having." She smiles coyly at him and sits down. She keeps smiling at him and says, slightly seductively, "Didn't your mother ever teach you that it's rude to to stare?"

John turns to her, flicking a few coins to the bartender to pay for her drink. "Rudeness is dependant on the situation. I would like to point out that half the club have been staring at you since possibly before I arrived. Might not have noticed what I have though."He says to her with a slight smirk. He sipped at his drink once more as her drink slides along the bar to her. It really was her then. The build, eye colour and hair colour were all right. Even the complexion fit the picture. "What brings you to the club tonight?" He asks before she can ask what he meant about others staring at her.

John had never had a problem taking a target before. There was only the one reason that was making this job that much harder. He had been retired due to the other agencies knowing who he was. This time after four years away. He had been brought back. All this was running through his head as he continued to act fully interested in her.

Yes. He's talking; good. Now to get him to keep talking, she thinks as she smiles at him excitedly. "Oh! My first drink bought by a guy! Thanks." she giggles and takes a sip. "It's actually my birthday today." She points to the tiara on her head with the number 21 on it and grins. "My best friend thought it'd be fun to invite half the University to celebrate," she says and glances towards the large mass of people standing a few feet away. They all smile and wink at her, a few give her thumbs up and raise their eyebrows. Lily laughs and looks at back at him. "My friends seem to be egging me on here." Lily looks at him, her eyes smolder and her lips are bent into a seductive smile. She tilts her head to the side letting her long brown hair flow over her bare shoulder. "What's your name?" She studies his face. He's much more handsome in person than the picture she has.

So this is the girl I am after. He raises an eyebrow, "It is your birthday and yet none of the other guys have bought you a drink? Shame on their manners." He noted the numbers and smiled a little more, "Happy Birthday from me then." His green eyes once again took her in as she glanced at her friends. "Why would they be egging you on?Why did it have to be her birthday of all days. With her friends around this will be much harder. He glanced at her friends before he replied to her question, "My name is John. May I know the name of a beauty such as yourself?" He flirts with her in their conversation. Any sane man would flirt with her after all. He could only hope there were not people from elsewhere. That knew him from before his four years off. I can only hope I am entirely off their radar.

"i know right?! Well Derek did buy me a drink but he's like a brother, you know? And thanks!" Nice smile...maybe this won't be so bad. If only whoever had dropped off the file on my doorstep would just talk to me. I wouldn't have to keep up this charade...but those eyes... Lily leans in a bit. "They saw you staring and told me to come over. But I believe you mentioned something about others staring?" She smirks a bit and laughs. "Well I will admit I'm a great dancer. My name is Lily," she holds out her hand, "nice to meet you John." She smiles warmly at him and notices he seems a bit distracted. I have to keep him talking and find a way to keep in contact. The note in the file said "He can help your sister." Anything for Ari.

He laughs gently, bringing her fingers to his lips and kissing the backs of her fingers. "A pleasure to meet you Lily. I wonder if your friend Derek feels the same way or not."It is already a harder task with her friends here. He flashed her a wink as his words finished. He raises an eyebrow, "Cocky are we?" His own lips are in a flash of a smirk, his eyes running over her long brown hair. Not to mention how attractive she is. John mentally shook himself and reminded himself of his mission to bring her in. My daughter needs the help. His eyes flickered slightly as an idea hit him. Her hand was still gently in his as he asked her, "May I have the next dance? If you think you can handle it?" His lips were curled into a smile. "It would make it easier to point out the other.. Obsessed patrons of the club tonight." He flashes another wink to her as he says the last part.

She flushes at the contact of his soft lips to her skin. She can feel the strength of his hand even though he's holding hers so gently. She looks puzzled for a moment. "Derek? We've been friends since we were like 3 years old." She purses her lips slightly and glances over at him. He waves at her. Has he been watching the entire time? Lily turns to John with a faint smirk. "I'm only telling the truth. You should know from watching me." She says with the most innocent look on her face, then breaks out into laughter. This is going well. Now to impress him on the dance floor and seal the deal. Right now, he's her only hope to save her sister. "Oh you're on." She laughs and stands up. "I am curious as to what you saw and to see if you can handle my moves." She grins and shakes her hips a bit as she says this. Her soft brown eyes sparkle.

He smiled at her, almost reading her thoughts as he says,"He has been watching you the whole night. From what I have seen."He returns the smirk,"You doubt that I can keep up?"He asks as he stands up behind her.I must be careful. Keep her interested. Remember that good old training.He slipped past her, still holding her hand as he walked towards the dance floor with confidence. He knew she would follow. She had been.. 'Challenged' as people would say.

John turned to face her at the edge of the dance floor, releasing her hand slowly."Shall we?"He asks with a wink. The current song was more fast paced and was about halfway through. He could be wrong, though he rarely was. He had seen the way she danced, learning the way she moved. He had no doubt that if she started the dance, he would be able to keep up. There would be less talking, for now, of course.Let us just hope her friends do not intervene.

Lily shakes her head frowning a bit. "He's just being protective. That's all." Is he...? She pushes the thought from her mind and focuses on the task at hand. "Well, you've seen me dance." She grins and follows behind him to the dance floor. His grip of her hand is a bit tighter this time. So strong. She bites her bottom lip and releases it as John turns to face her. As he winks she grins almost wickedly from ear to ear and nods. She turns around and presses back against his body, placing his hands on her hips. She shudders ever so slightly at the contact of his warm body against her and can feel his strength. Focus Lily. No drooling. You have to keep him interested; for Ari. She turns her head and over her shoulder and says, "let's go." Lily begins to grind her hips side to side in rhythm with the beat of the music, occasionally switching to rotating her hips around and around.

Rubs his hands along her hips gently as the move. He never has been one to push things. Unless absolutely needed. He ground back against her to the beat. He whispers gently into her ear, loud enough to be heard over the music,"Glance at him every so often. He hasn't looked at another girl the entire night."He listened to the song end and the DJ say something bout a slower song for the couples out there. Or the couples just meeting now. He smiles, a hand reaching up to grab hers gently, his other hand spinning her around till she faces him. His hand sits on her waist slightly as the one holding her hand gently slides down her arm and her side to her waist. His green eyes look into hers,"Couple directly behind me. Guy continues to glance at you. Also to my left the guy at the bar."

He continues to dance with her, moving around the entire dance floor without stepping on her toes. He added twists and twirls to her dancing through the song. He points out the people watching her constantly, including more than a few young ladies.

Lily places her hands over his and smiles to herself, taking pleasure in his hands on her. She sneaks a glance at Derek and he's still watching her. Maybe he's right. I've just been to blind to notice. All these years... Lily heard the change in the music and smiled sweetly at John as he turned her around. "Well you definitely kept up." She giggles and savors the feeling of his hands gently caressing her. "And you're right about Derek. It's just weird. He's never said anything before and I never noticed a change in his behavior." Lily looks around at the people John points out to her, all of which sneak sideways glances at her here and there as they twist and turn around the dance floor. Lily tilts her head back and laughs as they spin around, her arms wrapped loosely around his neck. "Wow, I've never really noticed before. But you were 'glancing' too." She smirks slightly at him and presses closer. She leans in and whispers in his ear. "Have you looked at another girl tonight?" She gazes into his green eyes through her eyelashes and cocks her head to the side waiting for his response. Reel him in, you can do it. This isn't so bad. He's handsome and strong, and those eyes; I could get lost in them. Just don't forget why you're doing this. No reason not to have a little fun too.